The Transcontinental Railroad Primary Source Analysis

Students will read an account of the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 and answer 18 questions. They are a mix of questions from the text, discussion questions, and image analysis questions. The answers are included where appropriate and this would be great for a sub!

Sample questions include:
--Explain why secession and war decreased the debate about where the tracks would go.
--Do you think there was any symbolism in using a gold spike as the final connection between railroad sections? If so what, and explain why or why not.
--Describe the contrasting emotions the onlookers might have felt when Stanford missed and then hit the spike. 
--What kind of souvenirs would have been carried off? Why would someone have wanted a souvenir? Do we see anything like that today, why or why not and explain.
--Does the railroad hold the same value today as it did in 1869, why or why not? What would account for its value increasing or decreasing (if it has not stayed the same)?
--Conduct similar research and find a railroad ghost town. Explain why sustaining that town became so difficult that it essentially fell off the map.

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